South Korea’s opposition leader issued a stern warning to his ruling party colleagues on Friday, just over 24 hours before a critical vote on whether to impeach President Yoon Suk Yeol.
Yoon’s controversial imposition of South Korea’s first martial law in over four decades has thrust the country into one of its most severe political crises in recent memory. Last Saturday, an attempt to impeach him fell short when lawmakers from the ruling People Power Party (PPP) chose to boycott the motion.
However, following a week of behind-the-scenes negotiations and mounting investigations into Yoon and his inner circle, analysts believe the opposition Democratic Party now stands a stronger chance of securing the necessary votes for a second attempt.
Saturday’s impeachment vote is scheduled for 5:00 pm (0800 GMT), with Yoon charged with “insurrectionary acts undermining the constitutional order” due to his martial law declaration. Two hundred votes are required for the motion to pass, meaning the opposition must sway at least eight members of the PPP to vote in favor.
On Friday, Democratic Party leader Lee Jae-myung urged the PPP to support the impeachment, stating, “What the lawmakers must protect is neither Yoon nor the ruling People Power Party but the lives of the people wailing out in the freezing streets. Please join in supporting the impeachment vote tomorrow. History will remember and record your choice.”
Last week, two PPP lawmakers supported the motion, and as of Friday, seven more have pledged their support, putting the outcome on a razor’s edge. However, members of the opposition are optimistic, with lawmaker Kim Min-seok stating, “I’m 99 percent sure the impeachment will pass.”
– A Battle for the Court –
If the impeachment vote is successful, Yoon will be suspended from office while South Korea’s Constitutional Court deliberates. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo would assume the role of interim president during this period. The court has 180 days to decide Yoon’s fate, and if they uphold the impeachment, Yoon will become the second president in South Korean history to be removed from office.
However, there is precedent for the court to block impeachment. In 2004, then-President Roh Moo-hyun was initially removed by parliament but later reinstated by the court. With only six judges currently serving, a unanimous decision would be required to remove Yoon, increasing the uncertainty surrounding his future.
Should the vote fail, Yoon could still face “legal responsibility” for his martial law actions, according to Kim Hyun-jung, a researcher at the Korea University Institute of Law. “This is clearly an act of insurrection,” she said. “Even if the impeachment motion does not pass, the President’s legal responsibilities under the Criminal Code… cannot be avoided.”
– Widespread Anger –
Yoon has remained defiant and unapologetic as public outrage has intensified. In a televised address, he vowed to fight “until the very last minute” and continued to make baseless claims that the opposition was collaborating with the country’s communist foes.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets of Seoul, demanding Yoon’s resignation and calling for his prosecution. Yoon’s approval rating, already low, has plunged to just 11 percent according to a Gallup Korea poll released Friday, while 75 percent of respondents now support his impeachment.
Protests have drawn support from various sectors of South Korean society, including K-pop fans waving glowsticks, retirees, and blue-collar workers. “Impeachment is a must, and we must fight relentlessly,” said Kim Sung-tae, a 52-year-old worker at a company that manufactures car parts. “We’re fighting for the restoration of democracy.”
Teacher Kim Hwan-ii echoed the sentiment. “I’m so angry that we all have to pay the price for electing this president.”
